Is Alcohol A Sin? More Follow Up

Re: Is Alcohol a Sin I have been reading the questions and answers to the issue around alcohol and Christianity. I would like to look at this issue from a different angle. Jesus is our example of how we should live as Christians and He is the one we should be following. We should not look for excuses to do the things that sinners do, we should look to do what is righteous and holy before God. The Church is weak in power today because of compromise. We will see a lot more miracles and people being saved if we keep our heart and mind pure before Him. The problem with alcohol is that it clouds our judgment and changes our thinking and the way we conduct ourselves in front of others.

A

If you’ve been reading my answers to questions on drinking alcohol, then you already know what my position is, and if you’ve looked up the passages I cited in my answers you know that the Bible does not prohibit the consumption of alcoholic beverages. The clearest evidence of this is in Deut. 14:22-26 where the Lord authorized the use of tithe money to purchase wine or other fermented drink to celebrate the fall feast. He couldn’t have done this if He was opposed to the consumption of alcoholic beverages.

A good example of how to live as Christians using Jesus as our example can be found in Matt. 11:19. When He said, “The Son of Man came eating and drinking” He was saying that he enjoyed good food and alcoholic beverages at social events. We know this because the religious leaders accused Him of being a glutton and a drunkard who befriended tax collectors and sinners.

As to the Bible verses you quoted in support of your position,

In Ephesians 5:18 Paul warned us against getting drunk, not against drinking.
In Leviticus 10:9 God said the priests must not drink when on duty in the tabernacle.Proverbs 20:1 says don’t drink so much you lose control.Proverbs 31:4 is addressed to Kings ruling while under the influence of beer or wine. (Proverbs 31:6-7 tells them to give their beer and wine to the poor to help them forget their poverty and misery.)Proverbs 23:29-32 is also a warning against getting drunk and losing control.

In short, there is not a single verse in Scripture that prohibits the moderate consumption of alcoholic beverages. You’re free to drink or not to drink as you choose. (Personally I don’t drink, for health reasons). But misquoting Scripture in an attempt to justify your views to others makes God out to be inconsistent and should be avoided.

About Grace thru Faith

Jack Kelley published over 9,000 Bible Study resources here from 1999, until the Lord called him home in the fall of 2015. His teachings made the Bible clear and easy to understand, and impacted millions of lives. He is the author of all the teachings here, and all materials are available free of charge! His wife Samantha maintains this site as well as their missionary outreaches.